Memory, A Blessing
by faith-silverfire
Summary: COMPLETED A DracoGinny (my other obsession!) fic set in the future, after the defeat of Voldemort. Arthur finds out about his daughter's secret, and rashly modifies her memory. But then the lovers meet again... ok, bad summary. R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: Ok, a short prologue to what will probably be a pretty long story. I promise I know where I'm going with this, but it might take a while so bear with me! And review!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**Prologue**

"OBLIVIATE!"

The force of the spell knocked Ginny across the room before she even had time to react. Arthur Weasley froze, momentarily horrified at what he had done. But there had been no other way. He lifted his gaze from his daughter, preparing himself, but the explosion of rage he had been expecting did not come, and instead, the tall, black-clad man opposite him lifted his lips up in a sneer. Acting as though nothing could hurt him was the only way Draco knew how to live.

"That makes you feel like such a man, doesn't it, Weasley? Your own darling little girl..."

"YOU SHUT UP, MALFOY!" Arthur roared. He had once been a mild and gentle man, but after the death of Molly he had changed. "My family didn't die for scum like you to seduce my daughter," he continued, his voice deathly quiet. "When you were a little boy, I once thought you may turn out to be something better than your father, that there might be hope for you still. I was once a fool. Never come near Ginny again. Forget her, because she will have forgotten you."

Draco's face showed nothing of his emotions, but his green-grey eyes flicked over to his Ginny lying still in the corner and back in a split-second. But she wasn't his Ginny anymore, and would never be again.

His eyes stung in warning, and, shocked at himself, he spun around and strode out into the rainy night before Disapparating. He knew he would never forget her. Always and forever. They had promised each other.


	2. A Meeting

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: This is my first shot at D/G, so please be nice! Chapter one awaits you below...

**Memory – A Blessing**

**A Meeting **

Ginny Weasley sat alone in the Leaky Cauldron, sipping at her Butterbeer and reading some Muggle book a friend had recommended. It was a rather extensive, Victorian novel, but Ginny was getting into it. It was certainly not as boring as she had expected.

People in the pub began to filter out, or up into their rooms, but Ginny did not move. She ordered another small bottle of Butterbeer. Although she was surviving alone in London, her job at Flourish and Blotts did not provide much income, and she did not want to return to her dingy bedsit above the shop for a while yet.

There was a loud bang as the front door was opened so forcefully that it hit the wall. The remaining people in the room looked around, but then returned to their conversations immediately with no interest in the stranger who had come in. Ginny, however, surveyed him intently, as was her nature with people.

He had obviously been travelling for a quite a while. His black cloak was creased and stained with mud spatter at the bottom, and his wide-brimmed black hat, Muggle-style, looked distinctly battered. She watched from over the rim of her Butterbeer as he pushed a Galleon across the counter.

"I'll have a Firewhisky."

That voice... She frowned, and then started when he looked right at her with piercing green-grey eyes, a platinum blond fringe falling just above them. He would have been rather good-looking if he had not had the rather unapproachable expression of somebody well used to hardships in life.

"You got a problem or something?" The strong London accent sounded so familiar, but she couldn't remember where she'd heard it before...

She blushed. "Sorry."

A split-second before she turned away, she thought she saw pure shock on his face. From the corner of her eye as she read her book, she saw it followed by incredulity, and then a calculating expression. Finally, the stranger shook his head as though he was telling himself to get a grip. Annoyed, Ginny looked up again.

"What's _your_ problem?"

He looked uncomfortably surprised again. Ginny saw him hesitate before speaking again in that rough drawl she couldn't quite place. "I just thought you were someone else."

"Well, who?"

The man took a breath, hesitated, let it out again, and croaked, "Ginny Weasley?"

Now she was suspicious, not to mention increasingly nervous. How did he know her nickname and surname? It wasn't in Ginny's nature to dodge the things that came at her though, she had gone through to much to think that that would be a good idea. So she tried to smile.

"Yeah... Yeah I am."

The man put down his goblet abruptly. His jaw was clenched. "You don't remember me at all, do you?"

When Ginny just looked blank, Draco could have laughed at himself, his own stupidity. What had he been expecting? Arthur had erased all her memories of him.

Ginny herself had not changed much in the past three years. Her long red hair was slightly waved, and her petite form still looked perfect in convincing Muggle clothes. But her beautiful hazel eyes looked more mature, more serious, and her voice had changed too. Suddenly Draco knew that, without him, she had grown up.

"No, sorry, I don't... Who are you?"

He paused. "I'm... Tom. Tom Grey. We – we talked a few times at Hogwarts, that's all. You probably don't remember."

"I'm afraid not." Ginny had sucked in her breath at the name, before telling herself to be sensible. Sometimes, when she was unprepared, her horrible memories of Voldemort still haunted her. She looked at the man, Tom, sipping his Firewhisky. He did look familiar, although she had no memory of having talked to him before. But then again, all her memories beyond three or four years ago were strangely hazy.

"I haven't seen anybody from Hogwarts for a long time," she said almost wistfully. "You've been travelling?"

He grinned wryly. "That obvious, is it? Yeah, I've been wandering around, seeing the world."

"Wow." Ginny looked impressed. "I wish I could do something like that."

Draco grinned again, despite the lingering pain of realising that she did not know him. So she still wanted to get away, like his old Ginny. She probably still felt guilty about her wish, guilty for wanting to leave her father alone. She had confided in him about that a long time ago, and he had promised he would take her away with him somewhere, someday. That had never happened, of course.

"So, you work here?"

She nodded glumly. "You?"

"Well, I still live in my old house." He looked down and finished the last of his drink. "It's been my home all my life, but it's been a bit, well, neglected... since my father died."

Ginny felt a rush of sympathy for him, overcoming her own pain. "Was he – I mean, was he – was he killed by V– Voldemort?"

"Yeah." Draco's conscience nagged at him, but it wasn't exactly a lie, not in the long run. His father's life would not have been cut short if he had not been persuaded to join the Death Eaters in the first place.

Ginny looked awkward. "I'm sorry. The same happened to most my family. I have to go now. It was good seeing you, Tom."

"You too, Ginny. Look – " Draco was seized by a sudden and wild idea. "Do you want to meet up again sometime?"

Her face lit up. "That would be great."

"Here, then. Tomorrow, at four?"

"Sure."

And Ginny dropped her book into her bag and left before the man she now knew as Tom could see the joyful expression on her face. She had already picked up the fact that he was actually a very nice person beneath the rather cold exterior. Draco stayed at the bar and motioned for another Firewhisky, his brain in turmoil. What on earth had just happened?


	3. The Beginning

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: Well, this chapter is randomly in diary form. Because, ahem, I thought it might make a nice change. Oh, who am I kidding? I felt like it. It's didn't really come out the way I planned though. Thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming in!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**The Beginning **

Dear Diary,

Yesterday I wrote that I met that guy Tom, right? Well, I've just got back from meeting him again, and I am very proud to say that I was right. I dunno, some people would probably think that he was arrogant or not likeable, but I think he's lovely. And once he gets stirred up about something, he's loads of fun.

I suppose it was almost a date we've just been on, but I don't like to presume. After all, he probably hasn't met anyone from Hogwarts for ages either, if he's been travelling for ages, and just wants some familiar company. It's freaky, he knows quite a lot about me, like my family and stuff, but I still can't really remember him. I sort of recognise him though, so I'm not too bothered. He probably just has a better memory than me, which isn't hard!

Anyway, we Apparated to Hogsmead for some shopping. (my idea, Tom's a typical guy, and he was really sceptical about it!). Thank goodness it's summer, long days, because the shops don't close until sunset. It's so weird, I could see Hogwarts from where we were and it looks so _old_ now. We had loads of fun in Honeydukes, and Tom knows some pretty weird places, I'll tell you! Nothing dodgy though, so mum won't be fainting away up there when she sees me!

We had dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, as homey and delicious as usual. Then we went to Tom's place (his idea!), and it's like a mansion or something, it's huge! The garden itself is like half the size of a Quidditch pitch, so you can imagine. We played some Swivenhodge, which isn't as great as Quidditch, but we both got quite competitive! I remember playing Swivenhodge with one a Muggle-born friend ages ago, and she'd said it was like a Muggle sport called Tennis except with broomsticks and a different scoring system. When I told Tom that he just started laughing and his floppy hair went all sticky-outy, it was very cute.

Ok, Ginny, time to get a grip. You barely know the guy!

So I had fun, and I think Tom did too. I caught him looking at me weirdly a couple of times, it's like he wants to tell me something. I'm probably just imagining things. Dad got all questiony when I got back, but he's ok about Tom. He's been a bit weird these past few years, but I can understand that.

Wow, it felt good to have been with somebody who experienced almost the same stuff as I did in the War. We really understand each other, which is great. We've agreed to meet up again in a couple of days. This is schoolgirl-ish of me, but I can't wait!

Ginny

---------

Hi, bloody stupid old diary thing,

Huh. I can't believe I found this in my old room. It's the first time I've looked in here since I got back. Last time I wrote in this thing was when I was at school, I think. It's pretty funny reading what I wrote then.

Ginny's just left my house. I can't believe I'm writing that, I still can't believe we met again. I think we just went on a date or something, but I won't think about it like that yet. She still doesn't really remember me – I dropped little hints all evening. She knows me as Tom Grey. Ugh, I don't know what made me choose that name.

So, we went to Hogsmead for some _shopping_. (She's still the same old Ginny, I guess.) It was weird, seeing Hogwarts again. We had dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, it was pretty good, and then she agreed to come back here for a bit. I had to remind myself a few times that she _doesn't bloody remember you, Malfoy_. I gave her a tour of the house, and she looked pretty amazed. Well, I've never been to The Burrow, but just knowing the name of that Weasley house explains a lot. We played some Swivenhodge, and my little weasel's as good as ever. She doesn't remember having played with me before, though. She thinks the last time she played was with a Muggle friend, and she tried to explain this Muggle sport to me. I just laughed.

I don't know what came over me yesterday, to made me ask to meet her. It's – well, it's painful, seeing her in a way that's like I'm on the outside, knowing that she's forgotten me. I still can't quite believe it. And every time she mentioned her father, I wanted to hit something. I'm just grinning at the thought that he doesn't know about us, that we've met again. Even if Ginny tells him about me, he doesn't know Tom Grey. I'll stay as Tom for the rest of my life, if I can keep her.

Merlin, this is stupid. I went travelling so I could get over her, and my first week back I meet her again, and ask her out! She has this knack with turning me into a soppy idiot. I am an idiot. But I – love her. I do. I loved my old Ginny, and I love this one, who doesn't know me. And I'm happy, I suppose. Hell, I'm ecstatic!

**YES!!**

D.M.


	4. Suspicions

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine! And 'Out of Reach' is a (brilliant) song by (the brilliant) Gabrielle, as I so cleverly put in ;)

**Memory – A Blessing**

**Suspicions**

He wanted to have a 'talk'. Well, that had never meant anything good in the Weasley household. It was what Molly had used to say to Fred and George, before, if words had been knives, making mince meat out of them. On the other hand, Arthur had never done that.

Ginny sat down carefully on the sofa and met her father's eyes with something she hoped resembled innocence. Arthur rubbed his palm over his scalp, brushing over the increasingly thinning ginger hair. He sighed.

"I'm worried, Ginny. You haven't been yourself lately. You don't like your work anymore, and more often than not you go out with this man you've only just met instead of coming straight home... Sometimes you even have dinner with him! Merlin... You know there are still dangers in being out late, Ginny, and –"

"I – I know, Dad," she interrupted. "And I can promise you that I am not and will not do anything – anything stupid. You always used to say that I'm good with getting the real character of people, didn't you? Well, I think Tom's ok. And I – Well, it's almost like I've met him before. He's from Hogwarts, but I just can't quite..."

Without realising it, Ginny's face had taken on a strained expression, as if she was trying to remember something important. Arthur frowned, and then a deep, impossible suspicion came to him, along with a cold dread. He took a deep, calming breath. What he was telling himself was surely, _surely _impossible, but there would be no harm in making sure, just in case, would there?

"Well, I would quite like to meet this Tom. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

Ginny shook her head silently, dismayed. Arthur had never liked any of her boyfriends, and over the last few years had all but driven them away. He was nodding now and abruptly left the small bed-sit they had decided to share after the Burrow had to be sold. Ginny didn't mind that so much, he spent more time in the office anyway, and even in the weekends he usually disappeared like he just had, or she went out herself, but he was just too over-protective of her.

After he had left, a small weight seemed to life of her chest. With a jolt she realised that her own father, with his quirks that had seemed so comical when they had been a part of a large family, now made her feel crowded. But as soon as that thought came, she suddenly smiled at something else. She thought of Tom as a boyfriend now, then.

"And Ginny..."

She jumped as Arthur stepped back into the room with a tight smile.

"Yeah, dad?"

"If you ever need to talk to someone, you know I'm always here. I know I'm busy too much of the time, and I know I'll never be a replacement for your mother –"

"No, don't," said Ginny firmly. "You're not a replacement. You're someone different, and someone I've always needed just as much as mum. And I love you, dad, but please... I can control my own life now, ok?"

She hadn't meant to word the sentence like that, and could have kicked herself when Arthur nodded, looking crestfallen, and left again. She knew he had been terribly affected by the deaths of all her brothers, and Molly, affected even more than she had been. She remember being devastated, but she hadn't _changed_ the way her father seemed to have done...

Arthur entered the room yet again.

"If this Tom does anything to you, you know you can tell me –"

"Dad, just stop!"

Ginny looked just as shocked at her own outburst as Arthur. For some reason, a strange anger had fired up inside her when her father had openly said something against Tom. Upset, she took a deep breath and Disapparated.

When she Apparated into Tom's living room, he was not there. He wasn't in any of the other downstairs rooms either, or the garden. Ginny went back inside and started up the carpeted marble staircase.

"Tom? Are you up here?"

She knocked on the nearest door and pushed it open when there was no answer. It was a large bedroom, with a four-poster and dark wood furniture. Dust covered most of the room, and she knew that this had been the bedroom of Tom's parents. Feeling another stab of sorrow for Tom's losses and her own, she closed the door silently. She rested her hand on the doorknob of the next door.

"Tom –"

"Ginny!"

She turned sharply, but smiled when she saw that the man she knew as Tom was coming up the stairs behind her, carrying a Nimbus 2001 over his shoulder.

"Where have you been?"

"Oh – Out." He indicated the broomstick. "Just flying."

"Flying! But the Muggles –"

He shook his head. "There's this crazy field that's more of a wood nearby. The Muggles hardly ever go in there, and there aren't any neighbours around for about two miles."

Ginny had not moved her hand from the doorknob, and when Draco saw it there, his eyes widened.

"Have you been in there?"

"Oh –" she dropped her hand. "Sorry, I was looking for you."

"Did you go in there?"

Something in his eyes made Ginny feel ever so slightly nervous.

"N – No, I didn't." She paused. "Is that your bedroom, Tom?"

"Yeah, um, would you just – can you go downstairs? Go to the parlour or something... I'll be down in a second."

Ginny was confused, but did as he asked. A few minutes later, Draco joined her with two small bottles of Butterbeer. He opened them and handed one to her, still trying to calm himself down. She had been so close to going into his room and seeing the photographs of the two of them in happier times. If that had happened... He didn't even want to think about it. When Ginny had taken a few sips of the Butterbeer, he cocked his head slightly.

"So, I'm guessing you came here for a reason."

She shrugged, embarrassed. "I had a stupid argument with my dad, I just needed some company. Actually, it wasn't even much of an argument, but I think I upset both of us... I – If I'm disturbing you..."

"You're not."

He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Draco felt himself wanting, _needing_ her so much that it was a physical pain deep in his chest. It was hard to believe that, after all they had shared, she didn't remember anything. More to break their eye contact than anything, he set down his bottle and crossed the room to the old gramophone. Ginny looked enthralled.

"That's a Muggle music thing, isn't it?"

He grinned. "Not quite."

Leaning down, he spoke clearly. "Muggle. Out of Reach, Gabrielle."

The song immediately began to play, without any sign of a disc. Ginny looked delighted as Draco straightened up, still grinning.

"Wow. Hey, how come that isn't in the Misuse of –"

"Dance with me, Ginny."

She opened her mouth, but no words came. Instead, she got up and walked towards him slowly as the soft melodies surrounded the room. And when they danced, it felt so natural, as though they had done it a hundred times before. Draco knew that they had, because –

"This is one of my favourite songs."

_Was I ever loved by you...?_

Draco just smiled, fighting back the urge to tell her that he knew, to tell her the whole truth. The dance felt perfect to Ginny, but it was bittersweet for him.

_Out of reach..._

As the song soared into the last chorus, Ginny tentatively leaned her head against Draco's chest. They fit perfectly, her soft hair just tickling his chin. He closed his eyes, savouring the moment, holding her close. And when the gramophone crackled slightly on the last note and fell silently, they did not part. Ginny raised her head. His heart thumping wildly, he lowered his head...

Abruptly, she looked away. "I should get home now, Tom."

Draco stopped, kicking himself mentally, and nodded, but it was a while before they composed themselves enough to manage Disapparating. And when they were at the door of Flourish and Blotts and Ginny asked him in, he shook his head. She looked a little upset.

"Why can't you come in? My gross room is nothing compared to your place, but I'll introduce you to my dad, he wants to meet you."

Draco shook his head again. Was it Ginny's imagination, or had there just been a slight grimace of anger just behind his apologetic expression? It must have been her imagination. She grinned at him coyly.

"Come on, Tom."

His voice was tight. "I can't, Ginny."

"Why? I go to your place way too much. You haven't even been here yet. Just come in for a bit."

"I can't. I – I'm sorry, I have to go."

And Ginny watched in confusion as he almost ran away from her, and then Disapparated. Something very strange was going on here. Both her father and Tom were acting very strangely, and she was going to find out why.


	5. The Potion

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: Things getting more interesting now... :) Lovely people, I need more reviews! Oh, and the words that are in italics in the spell are actually Latin verbs. I'm so proud!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**The Potion**

Ginny dropped the last ingredient into the steaming cauldron, praying that it would not go wrong. The potion had been brewing for two days now, so she had not spoken to Tom for a while, and had been rather short with her father. She had even, very uncharacteristically, asked to leave Flourish and Blotts early after her shift. It would be a shame for it all to have been for nothing.

She had put a concealment charm on the cauldron, so nobody except her could see it. For some reason, she felt sure that Arthur would disapprove greatly if he found out that she was making it.

When the potion's bright purple colour began to fade, she pulled on her old dragonskin gloves which were still too big for her, remembering Charlie (they had belonged to him) with a smile, and scooped up a glass of it. Looking at it, she had doubts about what she was doing for the first time. But she couldn't back out now.

She steeled herself and tapped herself on the head with her wand four times.

"That which has been hidden, I will now reveal... _Retego_... Doors which have been closed, I will now open... _Aperio_... What I have not known, I will now understand... _Intellego_."

She drained the potion in one gulp, sitting down on a chair. The old lady at the apothecary had warned Ginny, when she was buying the ingredients for the potion, that sometimes it would weaken the body and mind considerably. But Ginny did not feel weak yet, so maybe –

_Pain._

Indescribable, complete, brain-numbing pain.

She doubled over, barely noticing when she slipped off the chair, as a fire seemed to spread from her stomach all over her body, reaching a terrible peak in her head. She felt as though she was being burned inside out, she felt as though her head was about to explode, she felt –

Calm. Just as suddenly as the pain had started, it stopped. But now there was a dull thudding in her mind, that grew faster and faster and faster –

A ginger-haired girl yelling at a blond boy, slightly older than her...

The blond, now in his late teens, abruptly pulling the girl into a kiss...

The young woman looking furious, the man slightly sheepish...

Laughing together...

Embracing...

In bed...

Kissing...

Smiling...

A red-haired man pulling them apart...

A wand, pointing at the woman...

"NO!"

As Ginny screamed, the images faded and disappeared, and she was lying on the floor in her room, staring at the blurred ceiling.

She sat up, brushing away the tears she hadn't even realised that she had shed. It couldn't be. It was impossible. It was a lie. She couldn't have been with Draco Malfoy... And her father wouldn't have...

But it was all true. And as Ginny's mind absorbed all the information she had been forced to forget, she felt like dying, right there, right then. But she couldn't, she had to make sure. She Disapparated with a loud crack and Apparated again in the sitting room of Tom's large house a split-second later. Tom himself was sitting in a sofa, and when he turned and Ginny saw his face, the memories came flooding back. Her own memories of love, tenderness, happiness...

It was all true.

She clutched the wall behind her, trembling. Never taking her eyes off his face, she took a deep breath, shaking uncontrollably.

"Draco."

His eyes widened, and his pale face paled even more. She sank to the floor, her knees unable to support her anymore. A moment later Draco was at her side, kneeling down and putting his hand on hers. He seemed to be struggling to find the right words.

"So you – How do you – What happened?"

"No... it's unbelievable..."

"Ginny?"

"We were together for four years."

"Yes, and Ginny –"

She barely heard him. "My father... put a memory charm on me."

He finally broke their eye-contact. "Yeah."

"Were you there?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my God..." Something inside Ginny seemed to snap, and she threw herself at Draco furiously. "How could you have let that happen to me!? How could you have just – Why? Why, why, why? Why me? Oh my God, Draco..."

She was screaming, crying, punching, doing anything to make the incredible ripping pain inside her, so strong that her heart felt as though it had shattered into a thousand pieces, leave. Draco didn't try to stop her hurting him, and when she finally broke down and sobbed true, heart-wrenching sobs, he just held her, stroking her beautiful hair with the love he had been trying to conceal for too long, muffling her agony with his body.

------------

"How're you feeling?"

"Crap." Ginny's voice was flat as she stared straight in front of her. She willed for Draco to go away, leave her alone with her misery, but that was unreasonable since it was his bed she was sitting on. She looked at the two photos standing on a table against the wall, of herself and Draco laughing happily together. It was obviously from the days when her father had not known about them, had not –

She blocked away the rest of the thought, and looked at Draco. "Is that why you were so nervous when you thought I'd been in here? The photos?"

She felt the mattress sag as Draco sat down next to her. She hadn't thought that he would answer the question, but he did.

"Yeah."

She nodded. "I understand."

"I'm... sorry. For everything."

"It wasn't your fault. None of it was."

"I should have done more."

They sat in silence for a while, until Draco's curiosity got the better of his rare tenderness. He tried to make his voice casual and light, despite knowing that he would fail miserably. This wasn't an everyday occurrence.

"So, what did you do? I mean, that memory charm was – "

"I made a revealing potion," Ginny replied, cutting him short. His heart tugged painfully at her miserable voice. "It was just so I would know why you and – and dad were being so weird. I didn't realise..."

She shook her head. Draco moved closer to her, and when she didn't move away, put an arm around her protectively. She lowered her head onto his shoulder, letting a few more tears roll down her face. Draco leaned his cheek against her hair, and let the old familiarity of it give him courage to speak again.

"There's nothing I can say to make you feel better, because I have no idea what you're going through. But I have to admit... I'm glad you're back, Ginny."

Ginny raised her head and looked at him. He couldn't read her expression. He was just about to pull away and apologise again when she slowly leaned towards him and pressed her warm, ever-soft lips against his.


	6. Just a Day

Disclamier: Nothing's mine!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**Just a Day **

Ginny woke fully clothed on Draco Malfoy's bed, still clutching a pillow in her hands. For a second, she panicked, and then she remembered the night before. Just to make sure, she raised her head, and Draco was indeed still sleeping on the floor, also with no missing garments. Ginny sighed with relief, and then stopped.

None of it had been a dream, then.

Tears welled up in her eyes yet again, and she couldn't stifle a choked sob. Draco stirred at once, opening his eyes and looking up. When they came to rest on Ginny, who was now crying silently into the pillow, he sat up.

"Morning. You want some breakfast?"

Ginny raised her head and looked at him incredulously. He shrugged.

"What?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

Draco's lips twitched, and Ginny smiled sheepishly. Sniffing slightly, she wiped her eyes and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Sorry about crying all over your pillow. And crying all over you last night."

"Interesting new experience, that."

Unable to stop herself, Ginny laughed. All her memories of love came rushing back again, and she tried to resist the urge to throw herself at Draco and tickle him until he begged for mercy, the way she had used to. Then, inexplicably, her eyes filled with tears again.

"Hey, hey." Draco sat down next to her. "No point making such a fuss now."

"You're still so tactful, aren't you?" But Ginny blinked furiously, willing away the tears. "I know, I know. I've just been so _lonely_ for the past few years, and I never knew why. I thought it was just the horrible feeling of being alive when practically all my family are – are dead."

"You sort of dealt with that, ages ago."

"I know, I remember, you helped me." She smiled, and then sighed. "I just forgot about all of that. How could I have forgotten? I loved you so much, and – " She stopped, her heart beating unusually fast.

"You know what?" Draco stood abruptly. "I think you a break from all this screwed up thinking about the past. I'm taking you out."

Ginny smiled. He was still the same. "Oh, you're just assuming I want to?"

Draco didn't catch her amused tone of voice. He frowned, still trying to act naturally around this girl he was wild about. This brave, strong _woman_, who had so unfairly been through so much.

"I suppose... Do you want me to take you home?"

"Home?"

"I – Well, if you want to speak to – to Arthur –"

"No."

Ginny's face had taken on a cold, closed expression as she sat up. Draco nodded, understanding a little. If it were up to him, Ginny would not have to see her sorry excuse of a father ever again. He knew that the hate and pain he had been feeling for the past few years was nothing compared to what Ginny was feeling right now. He also knew that a confrontation was inevitable, but he decided not to pester Ginny about it yet.

"Come on then. Diagon Alley, ok?"

A small smile sliding back onto her face, Ginny stood up, rubbed her eyes, and smoothed her rumpled clothes a little. Then they Disapparated together and Apparated into the familiar cobbled street with a loud crack, making the few early risers around them jump in surprise.

They spent the day walking in Diagon Alley and Muggle London, just talking and enjoying each other's company. Ginny knew that everything was right, now. Everything was in place again. And when Draco bought her a small, elegant green pendant, and put it around her neck, and kissed her smooth skin, both of them smiling, it was as though nothing had changed.

And they both knew, or thought, that nothing would separate them this time.

Lunch had been a laughable affair in the Leaky Cauldron, but for dinner Draco took Ginny to a restaurant that she had never been in, but had always dreamed of, just a few streets away from the wizards' pub. It was dimly lit with a couple of candles on each table. She grinned after they sat down and Draco had ordered the food with a casual air that very much impressed her country-bred self.

"Very romantic, Malfoy. Very posh, too. Only thank God we're both in Muggle clothes."

Draco just smiled, and raised his glass of wine in a refined way that Ginny would not have thought possible of him. "To us, again."

Ginny raised her own glass. "To memory."

They drank, never breaking eye contact. And after the delicious three-course meal, they returned to Diagon Alley and bought a few of Dr. Filibuster's Fireworks. They had to go to the wild, secluded field near the Malfoy house to set them off, and as the fireworks rose haphazardly into the sky, Draco moved behind Ginny and put his arms around her waist, and his head bent to lean against hers, his fringe falling lightly into his eyes.

"I can hardly believe this is happening," Ginny said, her eyes moist.

"Well, I have to say this is a better outcome than I'd hoped." He grinned. "At least I won't have to be known as Tom for the rest of my life."

Ginny laughed and leaned back against him. They stayed in that position until the bright fireworks died out, and then they walked back to Draco's house.

"Draco?" Ginny whispered, as they walked to the front door.

"Yeah?"

"Can we start again, now?"

Draco took her hand in his, his heart pounding when their fingers entwined. "I think that's already happened, Ginevra Weasley."

There was a sudden, almost awkward silence as they stood in the doorway, both seeing for the first time that they were really and truly together again, after everything that had happened. Ginny opened her mouth, but Draco put a finger to her lips, and pulled her into a rough kiss.

It was a kiss of simple love, passion, and need. Their tongues danced, their hands roamed, and neither of them wanted it to ever end. And when Draco finally managed to move away, neither of them was breathing normally.

"Let's take this inside," he whispered, his voice unsteady.

For a tiny moment, Ginny hesitated, and his heart plummeted. But then a wide smile lit her face, and she looked more beautiful then ever before. Then, she nodded. Draco took her hand, and together, they walked into the house.

------------

Arthur Weasley slid onto the ground behind the bushes with a dull thud, his hands clenched, his body shaking, his face white and livid.


	7. And the World Falls

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: Mwahahahahahahahaha! What's going to happen now, eh? R&R!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**And the World Falls **

Arthur stormed through the building, knocking over any people and objects in his way. Inside, his mind and heart were in shock. He was back. That worthless creature, Malfoy, was back, so cleverly posing with the name of Tom. And he had just been with Ginny, kissing her, his hands all over her.

Was that where she had been all this day and last night? He could hardly bear to think about it. And how – _how_ could she have broken through that Memory Charm he had placed? It was painful to think about. She had broken through the cause of so much of his pain and regret in the last few years.

Suddenly, Arthur paused, a mountain of files in front of him. Merlin, what was Ginny thinking of him now? He couldn't deny the fact that if it were him, he would feel terribly betrayed. But at the time, he had had no other choice. He simple couldn't bear to see Ginny with somebody like that.

And he knew that it was lucky he had found her with that simple locater spell and seen them, really. It would be best, in the long run. As he flicked through files upon files of information, he smiled grimly. At least this way Ginny wouldn't be hurt any further.

_She fell in love with him, Arthur. Again. Think about it. _

He paused, frowning. Where had that thought come from? But it was shaken away as if it was simply a persistent fly as a piece of old parchment caught his eye.

_There._

At long last, Arthur pulled the document he had been searching for out of the filing cabinet, a sense of calm spreading through him. Sitting down, he hastily scribbled a letter and sent it off, with the document, with the first owl he found.

Then Arthur sank his head into his hands and waited. Since the death of all his family except his dear Ginny, his one task in life had been to find the remaining followers of Voldemort and bring them to justice. He would not feel uneasy about this conviction. After all, it had never officially been proved that the Malfoy boy had been under the Imperius Curse. And, looking at the family's background, it was more likely than not that he had been guilty of cold-blooded murder. He wasn't about to let Ginny have a relationship with somebody like that, no matter how much she thought he had changed. Arthur knew that people like that never changed.

--------------------------

Draco kept his eyes on the beautiful sleeping woman beside him. Her hair was loose, fanned out across the pillow like fire. She was covered by the sheets but wearing only the green pendant he had bought for her, and he felt the blood rush to his face at the memory of what they had just done.

"I love you, Ginny," he whispered. "I've seen things, done things, that you couldn't imagine, I let hate corrupt me into something foul. But I love you so much, and it scares me."

"You're not foul, stupid," Ginny said, her eyes still closed, grinning slightly. "And stop being so soppy, it's quite scary."

Draco felt as though he had been electrocuted. His heart thumped wildly, and he unconsciously clenched his jaw. But Ginny opened her eyes and smiled at him gently, taking his slightly shaking hand, here eyes bright.

"I told you, Draco. I remember everything now. And I love you more than anything I've ever loved."

His heart swelling, singing, he finally said what he had wanted to say for almost seven years.

"Marry me, Ginny."

She blinked, thinking that she had misheard him. Panicking, Draco ran a hand through his hair sheepishly.

"Well, ok, I don't actually have a ring or anything yet, but..." He cleared his throat and tried again. "Ginevra Weasley, will you marry me?"

Her eyes lit up. Her smile widened, and they both knew what she would say.

She never had the chance to give her answer.

A loud crack sounded downstairs, followed by another, and a third.

Ginny sat bold upright and pulled on her bath robe. Draco looked at her, and she shrugged. She left the bedroom and pattered quietly down the stairs, half-sleepily wondering what had broken. She was halfway across the room when the light came on. As she winced and blinked rapidly, a voice spoke from behind her.

"Don't move, Ginny."

Her head whipped around and she stared at the doorway in silence, an icy feeling of anger and something else, something like dread, spreading through her.

Arthur was standing there, but how? How had he known that she was here? Why was _he_ here? _How_?

Then Ginny saw the other two men who had come with her father. She saw their cloaks, their uniform, and the truth hit her. The unbelievable, grotesque, terrible truth. A heartbeat later, as loud as she could, she screamed,

"RUN!"

It had been a heartbeat too late. Draco had already come down the stairs.

Ginny turned, and everything seemed to be in slow motion. She saw the horror in his face as the truth dawned on him too, saw the concentration in his face as he tried to Disapparate, heard the spell, saw him freeze ... The Ministry officials were binding him to the spot... Ginny turned again, and her head felt as though it was moving through water... Then she too felt like stone as she was bound by the same spell... She looked at her father in shock, desperate...

Arthur, who had pulled his wand out and bound her to the spot, shot Ginny a look of mingled anger, sorrow, and pity. One of the Ministry officials stepped forward, his face strained as he held his wand out at Draco.

"Draco Malfoy, you have been proved guilty of conscious murder, committed in Trafalgar Square, London, seven years ago. You are sentenced without trial to life imprisonment in Azkaban."

There was total silence.

It had all happened so fast. Just like that, the world had fallen.

* * *

A/N: No, this isn't the end yet...


	8. Promises Unbroken

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine!

A/N: OMG I've just read through this story and it's so bad! **To all my reviewers** – THANK YOU SO MUCH for putting up with this, cos it really didn't turn out the way I'd originally planned... oh well... **More you shall have!**

**Timra, duckiez143, Mars18, StarCrossedLovers: **Aw, don't be too hard on Arthur. I didn't plan him to be that evil, just really traumatised, so he's unwilling to give people second chances anymore. You would be too, if all your sons and your wife were killed. But yeah, he's a bit hateable in this fic, isn't he? Sorry, Arthur... /faith is sheepish/

**Memory – A Blessing**

**Promises Unbroken**

"No, dad..."

Ginny barely had the strength to whisper those two words. The floor seemed to spin beneath her feet as she looked at her father's expression of utter indifference, and Draco, his expression like one she had never seen before, full of total, heart-wrenching regret. She felt faint and her body wanted to sag, but the binding spell held her fast, and she felt horribly sick instead.

This wasn't happening, they had only just found each other again, this couldn't be happening...

"Ginny, I was controlled! You know it! Believe me! Ginny... trust me."

Draco's words penetrated her stunned mind. She would not betray him by looking away now. She looked at him, their eyes meeting. Looking at his anguished, entirely honest expression as he was held to the spot, the tears started in her eyes, spilled over her eyelashes and fell down her cheeks. Draco was not insisting his innocence, was not begging for help. He just wanted her trust. And she would give it to him, one last time...

Just once, she nodded, praying that that one nod showed the unending, unbound trust they would always have. And that was enough for them both.

"Take him away," Arthur said quietly.

"This is your last shot, Weasley," Draco sneered, turning to him. "Just hope that this one works better than your other little idea."

"I said, take him away!"

"Draco, I love you!"

The men hesitated at her utterly wretched wail.

"Take him away!" Arthur shouted, losing his temper at last.

The lovers smiled waveringly at each other, knowing they would never stop loving one another, Ginny blinded by her tears, and Draco trying in vain to stop a single tear trickling down his own cheek. His words were simple, and he willed for all that he could not put into words to be understood, in this one final moment.

"Remember me."

She nodded, her hand moving automatically to the thin chain of the pendant at her throat.

They grabbed his arms, pulling him past her, and away from her, ripping them apart, ripping them in two... He struggled, a last minute of desperation, but he could not get free... Why wouldn't they let go...? One day together had not been enough, a lifetime together would not have been enough...

"No matter what I did, who I am or was, I love you, Ginny. Don't you ever forget that, even when they force me to!"

She was slipping now, a million miles away as they dragged him inexplicably away from her and towards the door, Ginny's own father pulling her back as she struggled, the tears now streaming down her cheeks... Why wouldn't Arthur just let go...? Just a few more moments, please...

"I'll never forget. As long as I breathe, I won't forget."

"Promise me, Ginny! Promise me you'll keep us alive!"

They were both crying now, as the gap between them was widened, crying for the future that would never happen now... No more time...

"I promise! I promise, Draco. I love you, I love you..."

"I'll always love you, Ginny. Always! Always..."

Another door opened in her mind, and Ginny remembered. She completed their old phrase, their unbroken promise despite it all, and even as Draco left her sight forever, completed their unbroken love.

"Forever..."

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry guys, I know how much you all wanted a happy ending. I feel so bad now! But I assure you, it would have been rather terrible. I'm terrible at happy endings to long stories... I might do a sad little **epilogue** to this... but only if I get lots of reviews!!! mwahahahaha!! 


	9. Epilogue

Disclaimer: All this effort, and still, nothing's mine! woe is me...

A/N: Heaps of **love and thanks** to everyone who's reviewed, whether you only just found this, or have been there since the first few chapters of my humble story! Either way, you know who you are, so **virtual hugs all around**!

So, without further ado, here by** popular demand** (I know, I'm living a lie), the end of the story. wow, i feel sad... but fulfilled, so yay. Anyway, enjoy!

**Memory – A Blessing**

**Epilogue**

Arthur did not have the heart to cast another memory spell on her, and Ginny Weasley never spoke to her father again. She was told that Draco had been put into one of the high-security cells, and she wept yet more tears for his pain. But she knew that she would not have gone to visit him even if it were possible. They had only their last memories of each other to love, and she would not let hers be those of a broken man. He wouldn't have wanted that.

----------------

She married an open-minded muggle in the end, John Lockley, and became Ginevra Lockley. He never asked about a certain necklace that she always wore, and she never mentioned the finer details of her sore and scarred past to him. A woman's heart, full of secrets, can never be opened if she chooses to shut it.

They'd had children over the years. The oldest, Ronnie, had just left Hogwarts and his post of Head Boy and was now working abroad for Gringotts, a profession he had wanted ever since knowing about the late Uncle Bill his mother had adored. He had, to Ginevra's surprised delight, received eleven OWLs and an almost frightening number of NEWTs in the two exams.

Their second child had been a girl, immediately named Hermione. Herm, as she preferred to be called (Hermione Granger would have hated the nickname), was in her sixth year, and very popular despite being a troublemaker. Sometimes Ginevra wondered whether Fred and George were watching their niece now, and beaming proudly at her antics. Other times, she knew that they were.

Another girl had come two years later, Molly, who a model student, the only one in her family not to have been sorted into Gryffindor, and a Beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. She had only tried out to prove to everybody that it was possible to be academic and boisterous at the same time, but it could not have been denied that she and the other Beater were the best duo at Hogwarts since her infamous uncles – It did seem to run in her blood.

The youngest child, a son, was now enjoying his first year at the school. He was rather quiet for a boy, but extremely bright. And after excitedly watching the current house Quidditch teams and practising in their garden during the holidays, he had decided to try out for Seeker as soon as he was allowed. Ginevra had, at his birth, instinctively named him Harry, and now of course, with the Quidditch obsession and talent for flying, the name just fit.

Only Molly knew who she had been named after. The other three had no idea that they had the same names as three friends, closer than any other, who had once gone to Hogwarts. They made no connection with their own mother and the worshipped Harry Potter, who had died almost three decades ago. Ginevra knew she would never tell them, not now. Her children would discover the past on their own, or let it lie there in peace.

But even now, over twenty years later, she herself still thought about a certain platinum blond, smirking, confident man every moment of the day, and the life she might have had with him. Even now, when John was asleep beside her, she let the tears fall, let herself whisper to the darkness the answer that had been frozen in time.

_Yes, Draco..._

* * *

A/N: Ah man, I feel so bad! I'm so very very sorry if you wanted a happy ending to this... if you're pining, well... go write your own happy ending then. -/faith sulks/- Ahem. Right. Ok, guys! This is it! No more! I'm moving on to better things (yeah right), please read them too! 


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